James M. Dorsey
ARTICLES BY: James M. Dorsey
Middle Eastern Rivalries Are Alive and Kicking Despite Recent Deescalation
Middle Eastern battlegrounds are alive and kicking, even though rivals want to soothe contentious relations. Take efforts by the United Arab Emirates, and more recently Saudi...
Sudan Conflict Also Puts Mideast Rivals Against Each Other
With Saudi-hosted talks to end Sudan fighting producing minimal results -- and Arab states supporting rival forces -- de-escalation in the Middle East faces a...
Syria’s Dictator Survives, War Crimes and All
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has put restoration of control of all of Syria at the core of efforts to manage multiple Middle Eastern rivalries that...
Sports Show How Middle East Countries Can Balance Their Differences
Renewed controversy over Saudi ownership of English Premier League club Newcastle United suggests the kind of opposition the kingdom may encounter as it bids for...
The Fallacy of a US Withdrawal From the Middle East
America is in decline. Eclipsed by China’s rise, it is shifting attention from the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific. That is one refrain in the analysis...
With Iran-Saudi Deal, China Makes Mideast Inroads and the UAE Takes Action
A Chinese-mediated Saudi-Iranian reconciliation potentially casts a spotlight on fundamentally flawed security policies of regional powers, including not only Saudi Arabia and Iran, but also...
Arab States and Russia Want to Rehabilitate Syria, Despite Bloody War
A push by Arab allies of the United States to bring Syria in from the cold highlights the limits of a Chinese-mediated rapprochement between the...
Saudi-Iranian Détente Could Spark Paradigm Shifts
Chinese mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran potentially signals paradigm shifts in Middle Eastern diplomacy and alliances. Sources also say that Bahrain, the Shiite-majority Gulf state...
As Ramadan Approaches, Debates About Islamic Reform Continue
Reform of Islamic jurisprudence was the elephant in the room when two prominent Saudi clerics clashed publicly about whether apostasy was punishable with death under...
Iran Ramps Up Its Conflict with Saudi Arabia
If there is one place Saudi Arabia was happy to be low on the totem pole, it was Iran. Those days are over. Strategic thinkers...
How US Security Cooperation Can Help Defeat China in the Arab Gulf
If played well, security is the United States' trump card in stabilizing relations with its Gulf partners and competing with China for regional influence. In a...
Saudi Sports Bids Are Unlikely to Lead to Meaningful Change
Even before it officially launched, Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2030 World Cup is on thin ice. The bid suggests that Crown Prince Mohammed bin...
The UAE Is Playing Both Sides in Israel and the US; But That Has Limits
The United Arab Emirates has mastered playing both sides against the middle. In the game’s latest iteration, the Gulf state earned significant brownie points in Washington...
Who Are the Genuine Muslim Moderates?
If you think Islamic scholars discussing the religious legitimacy of the United Nations and the nation-state will put you to sleep, think again. A call by...
